Home is a place where one resides. A house. An apartment.
A studio. A place where a family lives in a dwelling. A habitat. A customary environment. A place of origin. A homestead.
A place where your heart dwells.
Where is home for you?
Is it a place where you can always go and know you are welcomed? It is a place where comfort resides? Love?
Joy? Some of us were lucky enough
to have such a place of warm and wholeness.
Others, however, did not or does not have that
experience. And, if not, is it a place
that you are still searching for? I hope
so. Read on……..there is a surprise
waiting for you!
Home for me is in Ohio where I grew up and will always have
very fond memories of living on Acton Rd. where I spent most of my
childhood. Playing “Kick the Can” games
each summer night in our neighborhood and having a blast with friends will
always live on in my memory. Catching
fireflies, running, laughing……….home!
Canton, Ohio has fond memories too………it is where our brother
was born. And, mom made us dress up in
our Sunday clothes and sit on a certain chair in our living room to hold him
when he got home from the hospital.
What an amazing memory that is for me!
The awe, the wonder and the joy of a new baby brother!!! He was so loved and still is!!! And, the memory of rolling down a grassy noll
in the front of that house which when I was 3 years old I thought was a
mountain! When I was older and visited
our family home, the hill was about 1 foot high! Ha! My perspective was certainly different
when I was 3 years old!
Then, we moved to Akron, Ohio where many memories reside in my
heart! My baby brother learning to “fly”
by falling out of a neighbor’s tree saying: “Look, I can fly!” And, boom! Down he fell to the ground where I thought he
was dead! Running across the street to
get my mom declaring: “He’s dead, he’s dead!” was a very scary moment for a 6
year old! Luckily, Scott had just
knocked the wind out of himself and to this day, is still an excellent
pilot!!! And, Akron is where we got to
go to NCR
Columbus, Ohio was where I went to Grade school, Jr High
School, High School and College at Ohio State University. I remember walking to
school in 3rd grade and by the time I got home, my mom knew exactly
what had happened to me along the way!
Interesting how other mothers informed my mom of my adventures! Ha!
And, I remember riding the bus or my bicycle to and from classes,
working at the Overbrook Pharmacy all during high school and college, and
teaching swimming lessons at Olympic Pool, etc, etc. Home.
Home is also here in KC where I raised my son. I have lived in the house I raised him in for
now 21 years. It is a place of refuge
and comfort. It has been our anchor. And, a place of joy! I hope one day, my son will buy this house
and raise his family here.
Home. It is definitely
where the heart is. No matter how old I
get, my home will always be in these places and with the family God blessed me
with.
And finally, there is a Heavenly home that is described in
John 14:1-3 where Jesus says:
“Do not let your hearts be afraid. You believe in Me, believe also in God. In My Father’s house there are many dwelling
places (homes). If it were not so, I
would have told you; for I am going away to prepare a place for you. And when I go and make ready a place for you,
I will come back again and will take you to Myself, that where I am you may be
also.”
Doesn’t that sound amazing? The Lord has promised to take
those who believe in Him and His forgiving grace to be with Him AFTER this
life! We will always have a home in
Him. But, in the meantime, He still
dwells within believers through His Holy Spirit. That is truly amazing……He makes His home in
our hearts……if we believe….if we trust….if we ask for His forgiveness to
cleanse from all our mistakes, all our flaws, and all of our past. He comes to dwell in us.
Home. Have you made your home in His love? It’s a place of refuge, of comfort, of
welcome, of rest, of refreshment. Every
day. This is the surprise each of us can
have, if we choose.
Home. What memories are
triggered for you? I hope you have many
fond memories of family, of faith, of love and of JOY! And, I hope you will choose to have your home
in Christ and ask Him into your heart!!!
Home. Always. Forever.
